Maccabi Haifa midfielder Gadi Kinda, who remains hospitalized with a serious medical condition, delivered a heartfelt video message urging the public to “keep praying.”
The video, shared by former footballer and now rabbi, Shneor Gueta, captured the emotional meeting between the two, as they called on the public to continue offering prayers and spiritual support.
“I’m here with Gadi, who is loved by all of us,” said Rabbi Gueta. “We see the love of the entire people of Israel – players, fans, close and far – doing so much for him. Gadi is a man of faith. Anyone who can take on a spiritual commitment, whether it’s keeping Shabbat, wearing tzitzit, putting on tefillin, or covering their head – it all helps. The greatest doctor is God, and we believe in miracles.”
Kinda, who has not played since appearing as a substitute in the Haifa derby at the end of March, thanked the rabbi and quietly added: “Keep praying.”
The 31-year-old Kinda was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to an Ethiopian-Jewish family. At the age of three, he immigrated to Israel with his family. From the age of 17, he played for Ashdod SC in the Israeli Premier League and stayed with the club for eight years, before moving to Beitar Jerusalem in 2019.
In January 2020, Kinda joined Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City on a one-year loan deal with an option to buy, and following the 2020 season, Kinda was signed permanently by Sporting Kansas City. Following the 2023 season, Kinda left Kansas City and returned to Israel to join Maccabi Haifa.
Kinda made his national team debut in 2021
After many years with the junior national program, Kinda has been a member of the senior National Team since 2021, making five appearances.
Over the weekend, players across the Israeli Premier League wore shirts with Kinda’s name in solidarity. Maccabi Haifa captain Lior Refaelov went a step further by wearing Kinda’s full kit – including his name and number – during the match against Hapoel Beersheba.